Apparatus for dispensing heavy liquids



May 7, 1940. F. w. oLlN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING HEAVY LIQUIDs FiledApril 6, 1939 ORNEYS.

'I [z E INVENTOR.

FL 0 Y0 W l 0L /A/ MM 51 Patented May 7, 1940 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSFOR DISPENSING HEAVY LIQUIDS Floyd W. Olin, Hapeville, Gra.,` assignorto rOswego Falls Corporation, Fulton, N. Y., a

' corporation of New York Application April 6, 1939,`Serial No. 266,322

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquids and moreparticularly to an apparatus for dispensing liquids into containers,such for example as milk bottles.

The conventional structure of such apparatus consists generally of adispensing tube depending from a tank or supply of liquid, such as milk,and a valve member arrangedv in the tube, the valve member consisting ofa conical shaped base portion and avent stem extending upwardlytherefrom within the dispensing tube. The arrangement is suchthat thereis relative axial movement between the dispensing tube and the A springis employed to normally maintain the lower end of the dispensing tubeand the conical base of the valve in 'engagement,-and during the fillingoperation relative axial movement is effectedl between the tube and thevalve by engagement of the lower end of the tube with the top of thebottle and accordingly, the milk or liquid is dispensed through the tubeover the conical surface of the valve. The air displaced in the bottleis permitted to pass upwardly vthrough the interiorof the valve and thevent stem.

While this dispensing apparatus works satisfactory for milk and lightcream, or with liquids rof comparable viscosity, the apparatus does notvwork satisfactory with heavy liquids, such as heavy cream, buttermilketc. This is due to the fact that because of the greater viscosity ofthe liquid, it tends to follow across the bottom of the valve andthereby shutting off the vent opening. Various constructions have beenemployed to overcome this diiiiculty, ysuch for lexample as adding adefiector element to one side of the conical valve surface in order toprevent a continuous formation of liquid across the bottom of the valve.

This invention has as an object a dispensingy apparatus of the typeabove referred to and which embodies'a construction which is par- :c tothe accompanying drawing in which like char- (ol. 22a- 1.24)

acters designate corresponding parts in all the views. i

Figure 1 is a vertical'sectional view of a dispensing apparatusembodying my invention and contiguous portion of the vat and top of thebottle, the apparatus being illustrated during the lling operation.

Figure 2 is a View, similar to Figure 1, illustrating the apparatus inthe normal or closed position.

' Figure 3 is a perspective view of the spring member to effect cantingof the valve.

It designates the bottom of a vat or receptacle containing the liquid tobe dispensed and which is provided with an openingll beneath which issecured a flange I2 threaded internally asl at I3 to receive thedispensing apparatus.

The dispensing apparatus consists generally of a tubular member I4provided with an externally threaded portion threaded into the flange I2and with an integral arch-shaped support having leg portions I5 and acentral portion I6 provided with a bore to slidably receive the stem ofthe valve, as hereinafter explained. The dispensing tube furtherincludes, in the structure shown, a sleeve I8 slidably mounted upony thelower end of the member I4 and provided with a radiallyA extendingiiange I9. The sleeve i8 is encircled by a helical compression spring 2@which coacts with the flange I8 to yieldingly urge the sleeve I8downwardly into engagement with the valve. The lower end of the sleeveI8 is providedwith a rubber gasket 2I for engagement with the top of thebottle B.

The Valve member consists of a conical base portion 2 2 andr a vent stem23 extending upwardly from the apex of the base 22 through the tube I4and the central portion I6 of the support. The lower end of thedispensing tube, or the sleeve I8 thereof, is chamfered or beveledcomplemental to the conical surface of the base 22 of the valve. Theupper portion of the vent stem 23, which extends through the centralportion I6 of the support, is provided with an enlarged portion 24, andthe stem is likewise pro-v vided with an enlarged portion 25 immediatelyabove the support. The enlarged portions, 24, 25 are spaced apart topermit the bifurcated key 26 to be placed about the stem to detachablyhold the same against downward movement when the conical base 22 isengaged by the lower end of the dispensing tube or. sleeve I8 under theIaction of spring 20.

, The structure thus far described is of conventional design. .Duringthe illing operation, the

bottle B engages the gasket 2| and relative axial movement isaccordingly effected between the valve member and the dispensing tube.That is, the sleeve I8 is moved upwardly against the action ofthe'spring 20 and accordingly, the milk or liquid is permitted to flowthrough the tube ld and over the conical surface 22, the air in thebottle being permitted to escape through the hole Bil provided in thebase and stem of the valve. During the relative movement between thevalve stem and the dispensing tube, the valve is maintainedsubstantially in coaxial relationship to the tube and the liquid flowsover the entire conical surface of the valve, with the result that ifthe liquid is of high viscosity, as for example heavy cream orbuttermilk, it will follow across on the under side of the valve 22 andshut oi the hole 30. I overcome this disadvantage by providing meansoperable to cant the valve during the lling operation. That is, tomaintain one side of the conical base 22 of the valve in engagement withone side of the dispensing tube.

To accomplish this action, I employ a bifurcated spring member formedwith a central semi-circular portion 3i engaging the valve stem abovethe support, and a pair of depending leg portions 32 terminatingy inoutwardly aring curved ends 33. The leg portions 32 are arranged on oneside of the legs l5 of the arch-shaped support, and are then sprunginwardly under the legs of the support, as indicated at 35, Figure l,with the curved ends 33 engaging the opposite sides of the legs i5 neartheir joinder with the tube i4. Accordingly, the top of the valve stem23 is yieldingly urged in one direction, as to the right Figure 1, andthe lower end of the valve stem, including the base portion 22, is urgedto the opposite side of the axis of the dispensing tube and intoengagement with one side of the lower end thereof. During the fillingoperation, as indicated in Figure l, the base portion 22 of the valveassumes an eccentric relation to the dispensing tube permitting theliquid to be dispensed and to ilow over the major portion of the conicalvalve surface, however, preventing the liquid from owing over thatportion of the valve surface in engagement with the side of the tube. Inview of the fact that the ilow of liquid is interrupted over a portionof the valve surface, it accordingly will not form a continuous sheetbeneath the valve to cut off the Venting aperture.

The bore in the central portion It of the archshaped support may beslightly enlarged, or the enlarged portion 2 on stem 23 may be taperedslightly, as indicated at 36, Figure 2, in order to permit the valve tobe more readily canted.

It will be observed that the construction described does not affect theconventional dispensing valve structure now in use, and the cost of thestructure described over the cost of the conventional dispensing valveis nominal.

in cost, but highly efficient in operation, and does not in any wayhinder the disassembly of the valve structure for cleaning andsterilizing.l

The, structure of my invention is not only economical.

tive axial movement to permit discharge of liquid( from the tube overthe conical surface of said valve, and means cooperable with said ventstem upon such relative movement between the tube and valve to cant saidvalve to maintain one side of said conical surface in engagement. withthe lower end of the tube. f

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing tube, a valvemember, said valvemember having a conical base portion and a vent stemextending upwardly from the apex of said base portion into said tube,means operable to yieldingly maintain the conical base portion of.

said valve in engagement with the lower end of said tube to prevent thedischarge of liquid therefrom, said tube and valve being arranged tohave relative axial movment, and means yieldv ingly urging said valve toone side of said tube.

3. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing tube, a valvemember, said valve member including a conical base portion and a ventstem extending upwardly from the apex of said base into said tube, asupport member provided with an aperture to receive said stem, meansyieldingly urging the base portion of said valve and the lower end ofsaid dispensing tubeA a support arranged aboveY the tube and beingprovided with an aperture to receive said stem,

spring means yieldingly urging the base portion of said valve and thelower end of said' dispensing tube into engagement. to prevent thedischarge of liquid from said tube, said tube and valve being arrangedto have relative axial movement to permit discharge of liquid from saidtube over the conical surface of said valve, and spring meanscooperating with said support and said valve stem to yieldingly urgesaid conical base e portion of the valve intov engagement with one sideof said `tube during such relative movement between the valve and saidtube.

5. In a bottle filler valve, a liquid discharge tube, a valve memberpositioned vat the end of said tube and normally effecting closurethereof, a support for said valve member positioned within saiddischarge tube, said tube and said support being relatively movable tounseat said valve member from said tube end and open said tube for theflow of liquid therethrough, and meansoperable, when said valve memberis in opened position, to move said support` and saidfvalve member toone side of said discharge tube.

6. In a bottle ller valve, a liquid dischargev tube, a vent tubepositioned within and extend ing through said discharge tube, a valvemember supported on said vent tube and normally positioned to endwardlyclose saidfdischarge tube,f

said discharge tubeiand said valve member being relatively movable toopen saiddischarge tube for the flow of liquid therethrough, and meansoperable, when said valve member is in opened f position, to `laterallymove said vent tube and said valve member to one side of said dischargetube, v

- vr'tovnw. omN.

